OEM rear wheels and tires on front

[stressed member]

How are they in the snow with the fatties up front? It's really my only concern.

[Okiesmrt]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

WE MADE THE DEAL! My new rims are on the way from Mexico City and will be at Lake Chapala tomorrow. Now, I'll have to look for a jack and get Oscar the upholsterer to make up a spare tire bag for one of the fronts to live in behind the seat.

Awesome! Now you'll be able to drive the back streets of Ajijic and not get so beat up. There is a back alley on the hill side that is a block from where you hike to the shrine. I drove my Mothers Honda Fit up there and the alley walls were so narrow I thought the mirrors were going to scrape. I think a Mexican with a Smart designed that road. POST PICS!

[rfernatt]

Originally Posted by gusfraga

Your suspect many things but you are wrong

My car has 20K and the front tires are showing uneven were. So much so that 50% of the treat is gone.
Because of that I decided to buy a new complete set of OEM tires. When I got the tires I decided to experiment and as a said before the car on the highway is much more unstable than before. Even using the old tires.
That's it there is no agenda here! just what is happening to me.
Same thing happened to me with HID lights... They looks are great but you can't use the radio.....There is always a trade off

So, you mounted the larger OEM rear tires on the same skinny front OE rims? I'm not even sure a 175 width would be recommended (or it's probably close to the limit) of what you could put on the stock skinnies and I could see why that would be less than impressive. Anyway, in this discussion we've got several variations being discussed, so we need to be clear:

1. Larger tires (175, etc.) mounted on stock front rims
2. Stock rear rims and 175 tires mounted on the front to maintain OEM look and permit tire rotation with same size rims
3. Larger after market rims (15x6, etc.) and tires (195, etc.) mounted all the way around

Different choices with likely different results in addition to the normal variance caused by tire brand, size and style choices.

[riversidesmart]

I've noticed that the "staggered" arrangement is followed in the European market as well. The UK smart site shows the twelve spoke wheels for the Passion (same arrangement as in the US), also a six spoke wheel with the 175's at the front, lower profile 195's at the rear.

Gil

[gusfraga]

Originally Posted by rfernatt

1. Larger tires (175, etc.) mounted on stock front rims.

4 OEM rear wheels all around with the 175/55R15 Continental
35 PSI Rear
28 PSI Front

But is not working for me....
Also remember that the smart has issues on the front so you will need to rotate the tires very often to prevent or mitigate uneven wear

[gusfraga]

Originally Posted by stressed member

How are they in the snow with the fatties up front? It's really my only concern.

Do not know....

[stressed member]

Originally Posted by gusfraga

Do not know....

Anybody? Bought mine in march 09 and have seen no snow in it. I was going to wait for some snow, just so I'd have a baseline as to how it handled the snow with stock tires. I'm sure there must be some data to that effect here.

[rfernatt]

Originally Posted by gusfraga

4 OEM rear wheels all around with the 175/55R15 Continental
35 PSI Rear
28 PSI Front

But is not working for me....
Also remember that the smart has issues on the front so you will need to rotate the tires very often to prevent or mitigate uneven wear

Thanks for the clarification. I've been rotating every 6K miles and so far so good.

Originally Posted by stressed member

Anybody? Bought mine in march 09 and have seen no snow in it. I was going to wait for some snow, just so I'd have a baseline as to how it handled the snow with stock tires. I'm sure there must be some data to that effect here.

I only drove in a little snow/slush after swapping to the new rims/tires, but had no problems. Of course, the Yoko Avids are all season performance tires and are built for that.

[stressed member]

Originally Posted by stressed member

Anybody? Bought mine in march 09 and have seen no snow in it. I was going to wait for some snow, just so I'd have a baseline as to how it handled the snow with stock tires. I'm sure there must be some data to that effect here.

Check that request, just did a search and found they do rather well in stock form. But not much data on larger fronts.

[jwight]

They do very well with stock tires (funny how those skinny fronts cut through the snow) but even better with winter tires IMHO. The stock tires are rated "all season" and do not have the low temp rubber compound of the "winter" tires. I'll change over to the Pirelli 190 Snowcontrol winter tires along about Thanksgiving.